Hiller finished the day of slightly better than 50 percent passing (18-for-35) and three interceptions.

“We draw a lot from Jake, the way he works hard, the way he gets after it,” cornerback Kiaree Daniels said.

“We were glad to have him back.”

Hiller’s final interception came on the opening play of the fourth quarter, as Coffman tipped the ball to himself on the Huskies’ 21 and juggled it before gaining control.

He shifted into high school mode then, recalling his days as a two-way hybrid at Forreston.

“I played tight end, so I knew how to score,” Coffman said. “But never on defense.”

The touchdown was the first of his collegiate career and capped the scoring, but not Coffman’s afternoon.

He pounced on a Hiller fumble on the Broncos’ next possession, suggesting after the game he couldn’t have done much more.

“I’m completely empty right now,” Coffman said.

Not the Huskies. Along with his defensive prowess, teammates routinely laud Coffman’s military service before he came to DeKalb, which included separate tours of Middle Eastern duty as a Marine Corps corporal.

After the game, Huskies coach Jerry Kill discussed the challenges of keeping players in their late teens and early 20s focused as NIU heads into its bye week. He only mentioned Coffman -- who turned 25 in August -- later.

“Our kids look up to him. Shoot, I look up to him,” Kill said. “We all should.”